Instructor: Janet Carpenter
Office: A104 (Creative Arts Building)
Address: 50 Phelan Avenue, Box V14, San Francisco, CA 94112
Phone:
Voicemail 415.452.7267
Office Hours Only 415.608.8946
Fax: 415.239.3131
E-mail: jcarpent@ccsf.edu
Web Page: (new window) http://fog.ccsf.edu/jcarpent/Art118mainpage.htm
Office Hours: Online chat, call-in, or in-person Wednesdays (except school holidays) 4:30-5:30 PM
Biography: BA, Art History, Wellesley College; MA, PhD, Art History, University of Kansas. I have taught at City College of San Francisco since 1995. I am also curator of a private collection of modern Chinese art in San Francisco. I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, and gradually moved west, landing in California in 1991. I love to travel, both within the US and to other countries, especially to see art of all kinds.
AMERICAN ART (Art 118) is a history of American art from colonial times to the present. Painting, sculpture, architecture, and crafts will be examined within their historical, political and socio-cultural background. Students learn to identify works by pivotal artists, recognize techniques and formal visual elements, and critically analyze artwork within its contextual framework.
Prerequisite(s): There are no prerequisites for this course.
When the student has completed the course, s/he will be able to:
1. ANALYZE the formal visual elements and techniques of individual works of art in different media.
2. DEFINE the various styles of American Art, and demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast stylistic aspects and trends.
3. EVALUATE works of art in relation to the sociological, religious, historical, and cultural context in which they were created.
4. IDENTIFY individual works of art and architecture by pivotal American artists.
5. SUMMARIZE the concepts that define and distinguish the American visual tradition, and demonstrate the ability to discuss and assess these concepts contextually.
(Available at the City College of San Francisco Bookstore (new window) http://www.ccsf.edu/Bookstore)
Wayne Craven, American Art: History and Culture, revised 1st edition (an overview of American art from Colonial America to the present and the historical and cultural context in which it was created)
Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing about Art, 9th (or earlier) edition (guide to writing many types of art history papers; discusses punctuation, footnotes, bibliographies, etc.)
1. Log in to the course at least twice a week.
2. View material on all links.
3. Do the assigned readings in the textbook and other materials.
4. Submit two papers (via email; see policy on deadlines and late work below.)
a. Descriptive analysis paper (3-5 pages): due Week 7
b. Research paper (7-10 pages): due Week 16
5. Post to the threaded discussions at least twice a week.
This will be an optional meeting at the M.H. de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, for assistance from me on the first paper. See the museum's Web site (new window) http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/index.asp for information on hours and programs.
20% (20 points) Descriptive Analysis Paper
30% (30 points) Research Paper
50% (50 points) Class Participation
A=90-100% B=80-89% C=70-79% D=60-69% F=59% or less
Optional Pass/No Pass (P/NP): Grading Default grading is letter grade. Go to (new window) http://www.ccsf.edu to access the required P/NP form.Online students who need academic accommodations should request them from the (new window) Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) located in the Rosenberg Library, Room 323 on the Ocean Campus. Telephone: 415-452-5481 (V) 415-452-5451 (TDD). DSPS is the campus office responsible for verifying disability-related need for academic accommodations, assessing that need, and planning accommodations in cooperation with students and instructors as needed and consistent with course requirements.
Successful completion of this course is a matter of regular participation. If you do the assigned reading, diligently prepare the writing assignments, and fully participate in the class, I am certain this experience will be a rewarding one, and you can successfully complete the course and earn 3 college units of credit. If you need clarification on the assignments, or experience any difficulties with the course material, please contact me.
Scheduling: A major advantage of the online course format is the flexibility it affords in scheduling. A helpful strategy for managing your course reading and assignments is to set aside specific hours each week as your "Art 118 time." Expect the reading for the course to take three hours a week, while writing tasks and assignments will take a minimum of another three hours. Your class participation score will be based on the frequency and quality of your participation in the threaded discussions, as well as the timeliness with which you submit written work. Not participating regularly in the course will lower your final grade and may result in dismissal.
Late Work: The deadline for submitting papers on time is indicated on the course schedule. Papers are considered late if they are submitted after 11:55 PM Sunday (PST or PDT) of that week. I will accept all papers up to one week late, but the paper's score will be lowered one full grade. No exceptions will be made to this policy except in cases of serious medical emergency. No late assignments will be accepted after December 21.
Participation: Students will be required to log in to the course at least twice a week and participate in the discussion forums. These discussions will be monitored to ensure that students are keeping up with the required discussion time and actively contribute to the forums. Discussions will remain open through the end of the semester. I may drop or withdraw any student who does not login and actively participate for any period exceeding two weeks.
General Guidelines and Procedures:
1. Submit all work on time.
2. Post at least twice (one message and one response to another message) in the threaded discussions each week. All posts should be:
a. Knowledgeable, Thorough, and Thoughtful: Demonstrate knowledge of the week's topic.
b. Spell-checked: Check your spelling!
c. Appropriate and Respectful: The moderator (the instructor) will monitor this very carefully.
1. I will treat other class members with respect.
2. I will only discuss topics that are pertinent to the course material.
3. If I present material I have obtained from another source, I will acknowledge that source.
4. I pledge to do my part to create a fun, rewarding, and welcoming online community.
Upon entering City College of San Francisco, you assume the responsibility of completing each course in which you are registered. If you decide to drop or withdraw from the course you are responsible for officially withdrawing before the deadline dates and notifying the instructor. The instructor reserves the right to automatically drop/withdraw any student who fails to submit assignments and does not notify the instructor.